Newport's 'sharrows' a sign of concern for bike safety

A cyclist makes his way south on Pacific Coast Highway through Corona Del Mar Monday with the help of the new bike lane. MICHAEL GOULDING,THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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The city of Newport Beach painted lane pavement markings also known as sharrows along East Coast Highway last week as part of its push for bike safety. MICHAEL GOULDING,THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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The city of Newport Beach painted lane pavement markings also known as sharrows along East Coast Highway last week as part of its push for bike safety. They are placed in the traffic lane to help prevent dooring accidents. MICHAEL GOULDING,THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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A cyclist makes his way south on Pacific Coast Highway through Corona Del Mar Monday with the help of the new bike lane. The city of Newport Beach painted lane pavement markings also known as sharrows along East Coast Highway last week as part of its push for bike safety. MICHAEL GOULDING,THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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A cyclist makes his way north on Pacific Coast Highway through Corona Del Mar Monday with the help of the new bike lane. MICHAEL GOULDING,THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

A cyclist makes his way south on Pacific Coast Highway through Corona Del Mar Monday with the help of the new bike lane. MICHAEL GOULDING,THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

San Clemente

Bicycle safety is also an issue in San Clemente, where officials are looking to redesign roads to put bicyclists and pedestrians on equal footing with motorists. The city Planning Commission is reviewing a proposed Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan that will be integrated into a new San Clemente general plan.

NEWPORT BEACH – A little over a month after two bicyclists were killed in the city, shared-lane pavement markings known as bike "sharrows" were painted along East Coast Highway as a reminder to motorists and bicyclists that they share the roadway.

The addition of the sharrows was one small step in the work the city is trying to accomplish to make its roads safer for bicyclists, said Mayor Nancy Gardner, who is chairwoman of the Newport Beach Bicycle Safety Committee. The work began three years ago with a Citizen's Task Force on Bicycle Safety, which created a roadmap of what the city can do to improve bike safety, she said.

"There are things we can control such as education and making basic road improvements," Gardner said. "Painting these sharrows in Corona del Mar is a part of that effort."

A sharrow consists of a bicycle symbol with two white chevrons above it indicating the bicycle's required lane of travel. Sharrows may be painted on streets that have on-street parallel parking, are too narrow for a separate bike lane or shoulder and where the posted speed limit is 35 mph or less.

Gardner said they are placed in the traffic lane to help bicyclists avoid "dooring," which occurs when a car door is opened in front of a moving bicyclist. The other function of sharrows is to promote proper passing by vehicles and increase the visibility of bicyclists to approaching motorists.

The city is also trying to address tensions between motorists and bicyclists by putting up banners that read: "Same Roads, Same Rules," Gardner said. In addition, the city is creating a map that shows safe routes for bicyclists, she said.

Newport Beach saw two fatal bicycle accidents in September. On Sept. 14, Sarah Leaf was struck and killed at East Coast Highway and Bayside Drive. The following day, Catherine Campion-Ritz, a beloved local physician, was struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver on Newport Coast Drive.

Last month, the City Council unanimously approved a bike safety-improvement fund and also waived fees associated with a memorial bike ride held Oct. 28 in honor of Leaf and Campion-Ritz. The improvement fund would use city money, including grants, in a 3-to-1 ratio to match private donations up to $450,000.

The sharrows were painted last week on East Coast Highway between Avocado and Hazel avenues. The only other street with sharrows is also in Corona del Mar – along Bayside Drive between El Paseo and Carnation.

Statistically, getting hit by a car door is a more serious problem for bicyclists than getting hit by a car, said Frank Peters, a local bicyclist, committee member and bike safety advocate.

"When cyclists are hit by a door, they can get thrown to traffic on the left, which is extremely dangerous," he said. "The sharrows will hopefully lead to better behavior from the motoring public by putting them on notice."

As a rider, Peters says, he often finds himself being intimidated and bullied by drivers.

"I get treated with respect everywhere in my life except when I'm out there riding my bike," he said. "I believe that I'm going to be working on this issue for the rest of my life. It's like a game of inches – we take one step at a time."

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